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Identity crisis

  • 30/01/2006

The Tamil Nadu (tn) government has established a three-member committee with an anthropologist as an additional member, following protests against the Konda Reddy community being considered a tribal community. Communities, especially scheduled castes, in the Parmeshwar panchayat of tn have claimed that Konda Reddys are part of the the Reddy community, which is non-tribal. So, Konda Reddys cannot claim the benefits accorded to tribals.

There are about 600 Konda Reddys in Parameswarapuram, Seelathikulam and Samugarengapuram region of Radhapuram in the Tirunelvelli district. Chandramohan, secretary, Scheduled Tribes Employees Welfare Association, southern region, said that their ancestors migrated from the eastern Godavari villages like Kovur, Palawa and Kondapally some three centuries back.

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